Politics in the media: RATTAWU threatens strike action over FRCN appointment

Bangbose

By Evelyn Okakwu

Members of the Radio, Television and Theatre Workers Union of Nigeria
(RATTAWU) have called on the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria,
(FRCN) to retract the appointment of the recently employed General
Manager of Kano based branch, (Pyramid FM Kano) Suleiman Gama, within
seven days, or risk facing a total strike action by the union across
the nation.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, yesterday the National president of
RATTAWU Comrade Oluyemisi Bangbose said the briefing had become
necessary to address what the union described as a negative
development that could lead to the destruction of professionalism in
the FRCN.
“We are here today to address this press conference in order to
discuss some negative developments in one of our organisations that
may eventually lead to the destruction of professionalism in that
organization”.
“And the organization we are talking about is the FRCN. The rules and
regulation governing FRCN is very clear as to the appointment of chief
executive officers, which is the prerogative of the President and
Commander in chief of the armed forces”.
“It is also very clear that the promotion of staffers is also embedded
in the rules and regulations of the organization which says that
people will be promoted into the various positions that exist in the
organization, among the staffers of the organization”
While refereeing to the current appointment of a certain Suleiman Musa
Gama as the General Manager of the FRCN station in Kaduna, on Monday
as illegal; the RATTAWU leader said Gama retired from the service,
eleven years ago, at level 12, and was therefore not eligible for such
an important appointment, since the position is not supposed to be
political and the appointments to such an office, should be within the
workers, currently under the FRCN employment, not from outside.
Speaking about the current political trend, Comrade Bangbose said the
act of disseminating inciting jingles, all in a bid to favour some
politicians at the detriment of the station is not in the interest of
any one, as such could lead to a dangerous aftermath, at the end of
the election.
He called on the Nigeria broadcasting Cooperation (NBC) to take the
steps enshrined in its code to avert such negative development